


Detention Squad Blues

by junko



Series: Scatter and Howl [53]
Category: Bleach
Genre: Hand Jobs, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Kissing, M/M, Original Character(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-08
Updated: 2016-06-08
Packaged: 2018-07-13 20:42:17
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,672
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7136333
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/junko/pseuds/junko
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Renji has an ominous feeling that something bad is brewing.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Detention Squad Blues

**Author's Note:**

> The referenced rape warning is due to the fact that there is discussion of an off-screen/implied rape. Given the volatile climate right now with things in the news, I just wanted to warn anyone who just can't take any more of that sort of thing, even in passing.
> 
> Otherwise this is a fairly up-beat and sexy chapter, I promise!

Having said goodbye to Kyōraku at the gate to the estate, Renji turned back to the Division proper. A pair of crows burst noisily into the air. Flapping out of a nearby pine tree, the black birds squawked their way across the clear blue sky. 

Renji shivered a little. Crows were something he associated with the garbage pits of Inuzuri… or the aftermath of battle-- not the pristine streets of the Seireitei.

Seemed like a bad omen.

Hastening his steps, Renji headed for the lieutenant’s office with the thought that maybe a strong cup of tea in the busy breakroom might subdue the creeping sense of dread rising in his guts. He wasn’t sure what was making him so uneasy. Maybe it was just the idea of having to play a role for Byakuya tonight that he’d so actively avoided his whole life. 

He was sure that somewhere there was a universe, the one where he never met Rukia, where that was his life: swinging a club for some yakuza prince. 

Ironically, he could have still ended up as a ‘lieutenant,” a wakagashira--well, that was, if he could’ve survived without his spiritual pressure starving him to death. Or without Zabimaru….

Cripes, that was another cheery-ass thought.

Finally, the lieutenant’s office came into sight. Renji could smell the rich scent of tea and something sweet, like maybe someone had decided to use the little kitchenette in the breakroom to cook some dorayaki. The thought of red bean paste wrapped in pancakes made Renji almost shunpo the last few steps… He dashed several steps, and nearly collided with a frantic Nanako, who stepped out just as he was stepping in.

He started to back up and apologize, but she was unfazed. Holding up the altered haori, she said: “Put this on right now.”

Taking it from her, he noticed her hands were shaking. Seeing that, Renji decided that the important question wasn’t ‘where the hell did you find this; did you actually go into the Captain’s quarters?’ but the more practical: “What’s going on?”

“There are six Second Division Detention Unit officers waiting to talk to you in the Captain’s office,” she said. 

“Detention unit,” Renji repeated, almost too stunned to even be able to fathom why the division in charge of arresting and imprisoning might be here. Shrugging into the haori, Renji tried not to panic. After all, it could just be that they were checking in about Byakuya’s sentence, or maybe even following-up about something about the prison break. “Did they say what they wanted?”

Nanako shook her head as she smoothed down the folds of the haori, “They said nothing, other than that they needed to talk to the captain.”

Renji straightened his hair, though carefully this time, so as not to break the string. “You think they mean Byakuya?”

She shifted her head, like she wasn’t sure. “Should I go get him?”

Renji considered it seriously. As much as he really wanted to fob whatever this was off on Byakuya, Byakuya was in the middle of his own important stuff at the moment. Sadly, Renji shook his head. “Thing is, he’s talking to Captain Kyōraku. I’m pretty sure that’s not something we ought to interrupt. But, why don’t you tell someone at the estate that maybe it’d be a good idea if he could drop by at his earliest convenience, you know what I mean?” 

“Yes, sir,” Nanako said. Then, seeing him still fussing with the coat, gave Renji a patient smile and said, “You look good. You’ll do fine.”

“Yeah,” Renji said, trying to convince himself, “It’s probably nothing.” 

Nanako looked less convinced, but she said, “Let’s hope so.”

Renji swallowed nervously. Then, squaring his shoulders, he left her and marched in direction of the captain’s office. Behind him, the haori snapped smartly in the wind. He walked across the practice yards, turning a few heads. Once he reached the barracks, Renji bounded up the steps two at a time. He slipped off his sandals at the office door and took a moment to suck in a slow and steady breath. As he exhaled, he steadied his reiatsu and wrapped his fingers, briefly, around Zabimaru’s hilt, just for the comfort of it.

When he felt ready, he slid open the door. 

Even though he was prepared, the sight of six Detention Squad soldiers sitting seiza in a kind of ‘v’ formation on the tatami gave Renji a little pause. They weren’t dressed like shinigami. Instead, they wore loose-fitting gi--like the one Urahara wore in the Human World. At first, Renji thought that the hemp fabric had been dyed black, but, on closer inspection, he realized it was a deep, dark green. None of them seemed to wear socks, which stuck Renji as odd, especially since he hadn’t seen any extra sandals at the door.

The second Renji stepped inside, their leader stood, unfolding quickly, springing gracefully upright like a weasel… no, a panther, and offered a bow. “Acting Captain Abarai? I’m Uyeda Jo, the second-director of the Detention Unit.”

Jo was a very slim, unimposing man. He kept his jet-black hair very neatly trimmed in a style Renji normally associated with Human World salarymen--short over the ears, with just a tiny bit of longer hair in the front. Jo had done some styling to his bangs, so that they kind of swept back in a curly swoop. The only remarkable thing about this ‘second-director’ was that he had a set of scars that looked like they might have been made by Hollow claws on the left side of his very square jaw.

But, ‘second-director’? Renji had never heard of a rank like that. How far did he bow? Well, he decided that, as a captain, he didn’t really need to do much more than nod, which he did. “What can I do for you… second-director?”

Renji made his way to Byakuya’s desk. He’d never sat behind it before, but it seemed like the right thing to do. Besides, Renji found that he appreciated having the desk between him and the sea of intense-looking Detention Unit officers. It still felt a little weird to be on this side looking out, but Renji sat. 

For a brief moment, he considered attempting seiza, but he decided it was more important to be comfortable… especially if the conversation wasn’t going to be.

Once everyone was settled, Jo spoke. He, of course, sat perfect seiza. “Do you remember the insistences of rape that you reported in the West Second District, Acting Captain?”

“Yeah, of course,” Renji said. How could he forget the reception they’d gotten in Fujimoto’s village when they went to deliver the news of her death and the tsuka, the ribbon from her zanpakutō? He’d been so upset to discover that the villagers blamed the… Sixth. 

Oh. 

A cold hard pit formed in Renji’s stomach and he tasted bile in the back of his throat. “So… uh, I take it you’re here because it really is one of ours who’s guilty?”

Jo had the sense to look a bit chagrined. “I’m afraid so, sir. But, the situation is… worse.”

The fuck? How could it be worse? They had a goddamn rapist in their ranks, and had for months! “What’s that mean? Worse?”

The second-director raised a hand for calm. “This could affect your whole division, which is why we wanted to talk to you first--to see how you would like to proceed.”

This was all going too fast for Renji and he felt like he was missing a step. “The whole division--how?”

“The men responsible for the disturbance in the West Second District were…” Jo hesitated as if he didn’t like what he was about to say either. Meanwhile Renji was reeling at the implication that there had been more than one, and so he almost missed the significance of what Jo said next, which was, “...from the Fifth. They transferred into your division after Aizen’s betrayal.” Before Renji could form any kind of response, Jo continued, “We’ve been following up on anyone who might have been influenced in any way by Kyoka Suigetsu, and, during the course of that investigation, uncovered your… problem.”

So they hadn’t really had the rape reports as a priority. As much as it angered him, that didn’t entirely surprise Renji. They’d been tracking Aizen’s influence and only stumbled into this trouble by accident.

“But I don’t get it,” Renji said, “How does that even work? Aizen is safely ensconced in Muken--anyways, Ichigo told me that Aizen’s zanpakutō shattered.”

“Have you heard of the phenomenon ‘post-hypnotic suggestion’?”

That cold, creeping dread seized Renji again. His skin tightened, especially at the nape of his neck, making his hairs feel stiff. He’d heard about that moment when Momo had gotten up and walked away from her battle station, like some kind of sleepwalker, and had somehow ended up the target of Captain Hitsugaya’s rage, instead of Aizen. 

“But… that’s…” none of that was Momo’s fault, was it? Of course, being stabbed wasn’t exactly a crime. “Do my guys even know what they did?”

“It’s unclear,” the sub-commander, or whatever his title was, said. 

Now Renji understood why these officers hadn’t just busted in under the cover of darkness and taken away the guilty parties. Even so, Renji was a little surprised Soi Fon hadn’t made some kind of executive decision regarding what to do with people they suspected as ‘under the influence.’ But, how would they even know? All it took was one glance at Kyoka Suigetsu… maybe? Renji wasn’t even sure how it worked--hell, probably only Aizen knew the full extent. 

And what did you do? Arrest an entire Division? Hell, you’d have to arrest anyone who had ever served in the Fifth… and, oh fuck, that would include him.

A horrible thought occurred to Renji. It was hard for him to even voice it, but he had to know.  
He looked at all six of them, in turn. “You guys… you’re not here for me, are you?”

Jo let out a small sound that might have been a laugh or a sigh of relief. “No, sir, we are not. Though I’m glad to hear you self-aware of your own… shall we call it, potential taintedness?”

“Yeah,” Renji snorted, “Three months of Aizen was three months too long.”

Zabimaru growled in agreement.

“That’s easy to say now,” Jo said in a level voice, but with a hint of reproach. “The sad truth that we’ve been uncovering is that the former Captain Aizen was actually very popular and well-liked. He taught an extremely well-attended calligraphy class at Academy for decades and decades.”

Renji nodded at the sound of exasperation in Jo’s voice. Gods knew, Renji sure as shit wouldn’t want to have to be the guy in charge of trying to hunt all those people down. Especially now. After Aizen’s betrayal, no one wanted to admit to having ever been close to him. Renji considered explaining that he was one of the only people he’d ever known who hated Aizen at first sight. But, he decided against it. For one, he was sure it would come off as a boast, like he was bragging. Besides, the honest truth was that he tried to like Aizen, since everybody else did. Zabimaru just wouldn’t let him. 

“So…” Renji asked after a moment, wishing there were something to organize on Byakuya’s pristine desk. “How do you gentlemen want to proceed? I mean, rape is a serious crime. But… I don’t know that I understand the legal ramifications of being under the influence of somebody’s shikai.”

“Our commander would really prefer everyone associated with Aizen to come in for an interrogation.”

“Everyone,” Renji repeated, knowing full-well that that would include himself. “Right, okay, I can authorize that. But what happens to the guys?”

“Once we’ve confirmed their guilt, we would need to be sure there are no other post-hypnotic cues implanted. Provided we can be certain they are clear of such triggers, we could return them to service. What is done with them after that would be entirely up to you, as their captain.”

Great. So the hard decisions came down to him and Byakuya. It would be a tough one, too, because who the fuck would ever want to fight next to guy who was a known rapist? Worse, could you ever trust anyone who’d been Aizen’s patsy--fight next to him, defend him?

Nah, that guy’s life was fucked.

On the other hand, these were Renji’s soldiers--could be anyone, including someone who served faithfully all these years, someone like Momo, who wouldn’t normally hurt a fly--and it wasn’t the guy’s fault, not really. At least no more than it was Momo’s. 

Yet what the hell? Did you let a rape go unpunished? That seemed like a bad precedent all around. “Oh, Aizen made me do it” could become the next get out of jail free card. Worse, what did the victim feel like? Like just because it was under someone else’s command it was okay?

“Okay, well, I’ve got time to figure that stuff out, right?” Renji asked. When Jo nodded noncommittally, Renji continued. “We can do this screening thing as some kind of routine maintenance--like, just haul everyone in, alphabetically or something. Let you check everybody out, top to bottom.”

Jo’s eyebrows raised slightly. “Are you suggesting we interrogate your whole Division?”

“Well, it kind of makes sense, don’t it?” Renji said. “That way we don’t tip anyone off that you’re looking for guys from the Fifth, and, maybe, if we decide to, we can let the guys have some kind of hope at anonymity. Plus, this way you don’t miss someone who maybe took that calligraphy class or some shit. You got some kind of standard test, right? So let’s just do it on everybody.”

Jo seemed a little taken aback. “Your division would submit to that?”

“Well, if they see me and Byakuya doing it, they’ll know it’s upright and nothing to be scared of. Plus, my crew will follow orders, and we’ll just make it an order,” Renji said. 

“That’s… more than reasonable, Acting Captain,” Jo said, still sounding a little surprised at the turn of events. “How soon will you be able to begin?”

“Tomorrow morning,” Renji said. “And, since Abarai comes first in the alphabet around here, I’ll be your first guinea pig. How long does this thing take? Am I going to have to prep my Third for an extended leave?”

“No,” Jo said, “It can be done in a matter of hours. It is… intense, however. You might want to budget for time to recover.”

That sounded utterly terrifying to Renji, but he stood up smartly. All the Detention Unit soldiers hopped to their feet, like they were made out of springs. “Right, well then, I’ll see you at nine a.m. sharp. I’ll bring my official roster along so we can plan this out.”

Jo bowed deeply. “Your cooperation is appreciated and noted by the Detention Unit, Acting Captain Abarai. We will do our best to make this run smoothly for your Division.”

“Thank you,” Renji said genuinely.

#

After less than five minutes of discussion Captain Kyōraku announced he was bored with making arrangements for court and told Byakuya to contact Nanao Ise to finalize all the details. Byakuya pursed his lips, but held his tongue. Perhaps it was true that Shinobu looked a bit green at all the information being thrown at him, but it would have been nice to have everything settled sooner rather than later.

Besides, Byakuya hated ‘socializing,’ which they were now doing. It had warmed up enough for them to move into the main gardens. Eishirō laid out sake and tea on a blanket underneath the large, gnarled oak. Its spring green buds unfurling slowly in the afternoon sun, and the moss that crawled up its ancient bark flowered. Sparrows twittered noisily as they gathered grasses for their nests. 

Holding on to his hat in the stiff breeze, Kyōraku smiled. “Good day to fly a kite.”

Shinobu looked ecstatic at the idea. Looking at Byakuya hopefully, he said, “Oh, could we, cousin?”

Byakuya wanted to shoot Kyōraku the death glare, but managed to hold it back. Still, his lips were very tight as he said, “I’ll have Eishirō retrieve my father’s kites from storage.”

“You never flew a kite after your father died?” Kyōraku asked. He’d poured Byakuya a cup of sake and offered it to him. 

Even though Byakuya would much rather have had the tea Shinobu was drinking, he accepted it with a nod, “I had very little time for kite-flying as a clan head. Besides, I was off to Academy very soon afterwards and then I was accepted into the Gotei. I suppose I never got around to it again.”

“That’s awfully dreary,” Kyōraku said with a little laugh. Turning to Shinobu, Kyōraku patted him on the knee and said, “Don’t let your cousin terrify you, my boy. Being a boring old sour puss is not actually a requirement of being a clan head.”

“I was worried that it might be,” Shinobu said with a little smile around his bowl of tea. 

“Ah, you never got to meet the Lady Yoruichi,” Kyōraku noted, “which is a shame, because she was a fine example of a fun-loving True First. The Shiba, too! In fact, the Shiba had a reputation as quite the partiers!” Kyōraku laughed heartily at some remembered adventure or other. Once he pulled himself together, Kyōraku continued with a sidelong glance at Byakuya, “It’s really only a Kuchiki tradition. Though it does skip generations. Mr. Byakuya’s father was quite a joy.”

Byakuya started to say ‘and that careless attitude killed him’ but he stopped. 

After all, he was just aping what his grandfather always said, and that would prove Kyōraku’s point. Moreover, Byakuya had since learned that wasn’t true. Sōjun Kuchiki had been handicapped in a way--having been forced to learn to fight with his non-dominant hand. Moreover, it sounded as though grandfather had refused to allow him to learn from Kyōraku, who also would have put him to work that better suited him… whatever that might be at the Eighth.

“He was a joy,” Byakuya said instead. “I miss him every day. Should you like to get to know him, Shinobu, he was a prolific poet. The library is filled with his poetry--even the unfinished and abandoned ones.”

“And ‘Shiro and I can tell you stories,” Kyōraku smiled. 

“I really rather hope you will,” Shinobu said with a hunger that surprised Byakuya. He knew he’d been neglectful of the boy’s education, but had he been so completely remiss that Shinobu longed for any scrap?

“We’ll have lots of time together at spring court,” Kyōraku said, sounding a bit like he already regretted his decision. Then, he brightened and let out one of his belly laughs, “But, it will be good for the both of us. You can learn the ropes and I can… remind people that the Kyōraku family exists.”

And no doubt make new alliances. Kyōraku acted the fool, but Byakuya doubted that even he would pass up the opportunities court afforded. In many ways, Kyōraku was far better suited for it. He could find those nobles who liked nothing more than to drink and gossip and while away his days in their company. Byakuya couldn’t last more than five minutes attempting to make innocuous small talk with those vacuous sorts, but he imagined Kyōraku would be able to blend in far better than Byakuya ever could. 

“I’m sure you will suffer through somehow,” Byakuya said with a kindly tease. “If nothing else the sake is high-quality and plentiful.”

“Ho-ho, indeed! You should have said so straightaway, Mr. Byakuya!” Kyōraku laughed. “And are there plenty of pretty women to serve it?”

Byakuya blinked, always a little startled by this lecherous side of Kyōraku. But, he nodded amiably, “Only the very prettiest.”

Kyōraku nudged Shinobu in the ribs. “We’ll have ourselves a lovely time then, eh, my boy?”

“Shinobu is betrothed,” Byakuya felt the need to remind everyone. “And then there is the matter of the young lady he’s left at home as well.”

“Ah, I see your Kyōraku blood is showing,” Kyōraku said with a twinkle in his eye, “Stringing along two at the same time? My, my, I hope you know what you’re doing.”

“I don’t, actually,” Shinobu admitted. “Byakuya-sama suggested I stop at home on the way to court. I haven’t seen my friend in a long time, and… well, you know, she might be waiting, or she could have moved on--but we should probably talk.”

“Very mature!” Kyōraku said with hearty pat on the boy’s shoulder. “I approve. Your uncle Jūshirō would be especially pleased to hear this.”

Shinobu perked up. “‘Uncle’? So are you two actually--?”

Thankfully, Shinobu’s question was interrupted by the sudden arrival of the Third Seat. She was out of breath and looked a little mortified to have to interrupted a picnic. “Sirs! A thousand apologies!” she bowed deeply.

Byakuya and Kyōraku rose to their feet, Shinobu scrabbled after. “This is my Third Seat, Nanako Ito,” Byakuya explained. “She would not have come if this wasn’t important. If you will excuse me, gentlemen?”

“Of course, of course!” Kyōraku waved Byakuya off. “Shinobu and I will go and see if we can unearth your father’s kites.”

“Yes, of course, please avail yourselves of my house steward.” Byakuya said, as they made their goodbyes and headed toward the estate, where a concerned-looking Eishirō had already appeared at the porch door.

Nanako straightened up from her bow. “I am very sorry to interrupt, but your house steward seemed to think that your main business with the captain was concluded.”

“It’s quite alright, Third Seat,” Byakuya said. “In point of fact, you saved me from forced socialization.”

Nanako opened her mouth, but then, having caught what Byakuya said, smiled. “Ah, right, well, um… I just want to say that I think Renji is handling it, but we had surprise visitors to the division: six Detention Squad officers.”

“Six? So many? What was their business?” 

Nanako shook her head. “I don’t know, sir. But, the lieu--acting captain sent me to let you know. I think… I mean, if nothing else, the captain will need to debrief with you.”

“Are they meeting in my office?” Byakuya asked, already heading to the Division gate. When Nanako nodded, he continued, “Then I will wait in my quarters until they’ve concluded their business. Renji can meet me there at his convenience.”

“Wow,” Nanako said before she could stop herself. Or at least, she seemed to regret what she’d said instantly, since she covered her mouth with her hands.

“Wow?” Byakuya asked, his eyes narrowing. He had no idea what he had said that should elicit a ‘wow.’

“Sorry, sir,” Nanako said, her cheeks coloring. “I just… I mean, wow, you must really trust Renji to handle the situation.”

Byakuya gave her a stern frown. “Renji Abarai is acting captain of the Sixth for a reason, Third Seat. He is the most capable commander in my absence and you would be very wise not to forget that.”

“Yes, sir!”

#

When Renji opened the door to usher the Detention Unit soldiers out, he discovered Nanako waiting. “I’d be honored to escort you to the gate, sir,” Nanako said to the second-lieutenant or whatever he was. “That is, if your business here is concluded?”

“It is,” Jo said. “Thank you.”

To Renji, Nanako said, “The Kuchiki clan head awaits a debriefing in his quarters, Acting Captain.”

“Right,” Renji said, kind of amazed at her professionalism, though he wasn’t sure why. She was the one they left in charge when they were both out in the field, after all. “Thank you, Third Seat.”

She bowed smartly, and gestured for the Detention Squad to follow her.

Renji waited for them to make their way down the stairs and part way across the practice yard before turning in the other direction and knocking on the door to the captain’s quarters. 

“Come in, Renji.”

Heh, kind of like old times, Renji thought as he slid open the familiar door, and ducked inside.  
The room was mostly in shadow, despite the bright sunlight, and so Renji stood squinting in the doorway for a few moments as his eyes adjusted.

“Oh.” Byakuya’s voice sounded startled--maybe even a little shocked--and then he seemed to shake something off and say, “Yes, of course, you would wear the haori. Good call.”

Renji’d forgotten he was wearing it, and hastened to take it off. “Uh, yeah, well, I feel weird in it. I wouldn’t have thought of it myself, but Nanako brought it to me.”

“You can leave it on, if you wish. It does look very good on you,” Byakuya said.

Renji finished pulling it off and started to carefully fold it up. “Nah, that’s okay. I might look good in it, but it doesn’t suit me. You’re the captain. I want to be strong like you, have captain-level power, but I don’t want your job. Shit. Especially if it means dealing with that kind of crap, day in and day out,” he said. 

Carefully, Renji set the haori on Byakuya’s dresser and then came to join him where he sat on the pillows next to the bed. It was weird to see Byakuya in this room, of all places, without the kenseikan--and without even a uniform on. He looked damn good, especially in those deep blue silks with their gold threads and such, but… he looked like a different man, a younger one--one who was both more and much, much less touchable.

In fact, Renji kind of wanted to genuflect Byakuya looked so much like a prince.

“What was the Detention Squad doing here?” Byakuya said, breaking the mood. “Is everything alright? Were they here about the prison break? Or my sentence?”

“Yeah, that’s what I figured they were after at first,” Renji agreed, stretching an arm across the futon mattress behind him. “But, no, they...uh, well, apparently, they tracked down the rapists--the ones from the Western Second, you know, that whole thing Kinjo and I ran up against when we delivered the news about Fujimoto?”

Byakuya frowned a little, but seemed to place the incident. “One of our ranks was involved after all? That’s deeply troubling. Admittedly, I’d been holding out hope that Aizen and his Arrancar were to blame.”

“Well, in a roundabout way that’s still true,” Renji said. “Thing is, whoever done it was maybe acting on some kind of ‘post-hypnotic suggestion.’”

There was a long pause. “I see.”

Letting out a breath, Renji nodded. “Yeah, so the Detention Squad wants to question everyone who’s ever had contact with Aizen.”

Byakuya let out a dark chuckle, “Why, that would be the whole of the Gotei.”

Renji nodded. “Yeah, so I guess they’ve got to start somewhere, so they’re starting with us. I told them they could. I mean, I don’t want no Aizen sleeper agents in the fucking ranks, do you? How do you keep order if everyone’s worrying if the other guy is going to go all ‘Aizen-sama’ on them? Plus, they told me that the interrogation is some kind of standardized thing and won’t take more than a couple of hours. I’m doing mine tomorrow morning first thing. Then, I figure we just go down the list in order.”

Staring at his folded hands in his lap, Byakuya was silent. Renji sat up a little, thinking maybe he’d fucked up royally and was about to get a massive dressing down. But, after several long, sweat-inducing seconds, Byakuya said, “That’s a very equitable and wise decision, Renji. It’s not the one I would have made, but I will stand by it.”

“You will?”

“I don’t entirely trust the Second Division,” Byakuya admitted. Glancing up, he caught Renji’s gaze and held it fiercely. “I’m afraid my dislike for Soi Fon and her methods would have had me stonewalling them. However, you make a compelling case. To always be wondering if Aizen had someone secretly inside our own ranks… it could destroy us, tear apart millennia of esprit de corps. We must all go through this trial together and come out the other side stronger for it.”

Renji almost felt himself wilting from relief. “Good. Okay, wow, yeah, I’m glad you’re on board,” he breathed. Pinching the bridge of his nose, Renji launched into the next issue, “I’m pleased I got that one right, because I don’t know what the fuck we’re going to do with the guys who did that shit down in the West Second. Detention Squad says they’re going to turn the guilty parties back to us. We got to decide what happens to them.”

“Rape is a capital punishment, Renji. The law is clear,” Byakuya said without hesitation.

“Even though these guys didn’t know what they were doing?” Renji hated being in the position of defending them, but, well, he’d want someone to do it for him. Besides, just because the law was ‘clear’ on something didn’t make it right. After all, the law had been pretty clear that Rukia should’ve been executed.

Byakuya surprised Renji by hesitating. He opened his mouth, but stopped as though reconsidering. “What would you do?”

“I don’t know, okay?” Renji admitted. Crossing his arms across his chest, he leaned back into the futon frame. “Thing is, I get your point. If word got back to the victims that we knew who the guilty party was and we let them off without any punishment? Yeah, if I were her, I’d be pissed off. And more than that, next time there was a Sixth Division patrol through my neighborhood, I’d give them a piece of my mind, and probably a close encounter with my fists. And it wouldn’t be just the victim, either--it’d be her mother, her father, her sisters, her brothers, her cousins, her friends, her neighbors. We’d have a big problem, and for a good reason. We have a responsibility to protect, and we failed these people. Hard. We were the enemy; we’re never supposed to be the bad guys. We have the power and we’re bound by an oath to protect, not abuse. But I don’t know, all right? Maybe we toss the guys in the clink for a couple months? On top of a public beating? I mean, I don’t know what’s right here, Taicho, I just don’t.”

Byakuya’s face grew tight and cold. “It’s difficult to lead in this situation, but there is no room for weakness or hesitation. For all the reasons you outlined, Renji, we will spare their lives, but not the rod.”

Renji nodded grimly. As much as it grated him to think about putting pseudo-innocent men to the rack, he knew Byakuya was right. This was the reason why people considered the Sixth Division to be both hard and fair. 

He was glad, though, that it wouldn’t be him deciding how much and how severe the punishment. He might have to look these guys in the eye and tell them that it didn’t fucking matter that Aizen had poisoned their minds or controlled their actions; he might even have to be the one to hear them beg for mercy as he dragged them away, kicking and screaming. But the decision was already out of his hands and, frankly, Renji liked it that way. It was much easier to be the hammer than the judge.

Maybe he was a coward for it, but he wouldn’t shirk his duty--once it was laid out before him, at any rate. 

He was just fucking glad he didn’t have to decide.

“Do you hate me?” Byakuya asked quietly, surprising Renji out of his reverie. ‘You have that face on, your thinking face. Are you thinking about what a horrible man I must be to be able to do this?”

Renji almost laughed. “No, babe, I was thinking how much I admire you for it. It’s good that you’re strong in the ways I’m not. We compliment each other.”

Byakuya still appeared a little worried, like he didn’t quite believe Renji’s words. So Renji reached out a hand to gently stroke the side of Byakuya’s face. 

Leaning into the touch, Byakuya nuzzled Renji’s calloused palm. That encouraged Renji to draw closer for a kiss. Byakuya’s lips were cold and thin, but he opened his mouth hungrily, willingly. 

Renji’s hands naturally found their way into the silken strands of Byakuya’s hair. Soft and smooth, it seemed to have finally recovered from the rough treatment of prison soap and hard water. Making a happy, appreciative sound, Renji luxuriated in the feel of Byakuya’s hair slipping through his fingers.

Their tongues entwined. Tasting sake instead of tea, Renji almost pulled back in surprise, but Byakuya’s hand closed firmly around Renji’s neck and held him fast… 

Renji had a brief moment of panic, his stomach tightened with a flash of worry that maybe Byakuya was just drunk enough for his demons to surface, but then Byakuya let go. 

Oh. It had been just a little nudge, as if to say, ‘stay.’ Renji started to relax back into the kiss, but Byakuya’s cool fingers trailed down his neck… making him shiver. When Byakuya’s hand slipped between the folds of his shitagi, Renji startled again, but this time with a kind of sudden, sharp arousal. Long fingers splayed across Renji’s pectoral muscle, lightly cupping it.

Was it weird how turned on Renji was by Byakuya’s hand inside his shirt? 

The gesture was very possessive and kind of rudely presumptuous, and yet heat rushed along Renji’s skin and his breath quickened to a pant. It didn’t help that fingertips brushed stiffening nipple playfully, almost absently. Yeah, it was that casual dominance that was getting Renji all hot and bothered.

This might be the first time in a long time that just kissing made Renji this hard.

He kissed back eagerly, his hands fisting into hair. It was fake aggression, bravado, because all Renji wanted to do was strip for Byakuya and let him have his wicked way with him. 

But, if he was trying not to give himself away, he probably shouldn’t be shifting to let the shihakusho fall away from his shoulders, exposing more skin. He probably also shouldn’t lift Byakuya’s other hand, which had been lightly grasping Renji’s hip and put it up under the silks. Or, start kissing sloppily, so he could take a moment to slip his arms through the sleeves to bare his whole chest for Byakuya’s hands.

Maybe he shouldn’t be moaning so loudly, either.

But it was just as much Byakuya’s fault for cruelly tweaking nipples that already felt like they were on fire--each pull shooting heat straight to Renji’s cock. 

So insanely aroused, Renji wasn’t even sure how he ended up kissing Byakuya so hard that he was pushed back up against the wall, or how he got up on to all fours in order to pull at obi and hakama until they slipped down his hips. All he knew was that this one kiss had somehow ended up with him stripped naked, painfully hard, and clambering into Byakuya’s lap. 

Byakuya’s hands grasped at Renji with that intense possessiveness, grasping at every muscle of back and shoulder and ass, as if laying claim to it all. Renji’s own hands pulled and tugged at hair and silk, his legs wrapping around strong, taut waist, hotly aroused cock rubbing against cool, smooth fabric desperately. He could feel Byakuya’s own arousal, stiff beneath silk, and knowing his ardor was returned made Renji groan desperately.

Their mouths stayed locked, though lips and tongue grew frantic.

Renji only broke from the kiss when Byakuya’s hand closed around Renji’s cock. In shock, his eyes flew open and he gasped. Byakuya gave him a hard glare, like he did not approve of this sudden change, and then his free hand encircled the back of Renji’s skull and firmly directed him back into the kiss.

Even as he returned to the kiss, Renji thought, ‘but this isn’t how things usually go and his clothes are so fancy what if we wreck them,’ but when Byakuya’s hand gave Renji’s aching cock a hard tug, he amended that with, ‘Shut the fuck up and roll with this!’

Renji hardly knew what to do with the almost overwhelming feeling of being stroked and tugged and explored. His mind was so blown, in fact, that he kind of forgot how to kiss. He was pretty sure his mouth was just hanging open and he was panting into Byakuya’s. Every time he managed to remember he should be moving his tongue or his lips or something, Byakuya would do something amazing to his cock and he’d be all lost in the pleasure. He wasn’t even sure what he was doing with his own hands. One of them seemed to be crushing Byakuya’s shoulder, the other was pounding on the wall with the effort to keep from actually howling like a goddamn bitch in heat. 

Byakuya, meanwhile, seemed to be enjoying exercising this much control over him. He was making happy little purring noises in the back of his throat, as if deeply satisfied with the way in which Renji’s body was like putty in his hands. The grip on Renji’s shoulder was strong, but not stifling. It was there as support, so Renji could just let go and lean back into it and wriggle in Byakuya’s lap, mindlessly thrusting into his hand with a kind of abandon he normally only felt when tied down.

Renji could feel, too, Byakuya’s hardness, wet and hot beneath the silk, pressing against the cleft of Renji’s ass. The restraint seemed to be turning Byakuya on, because he made no move to relieve himself, except to push more deeply against Renji’s body.

They continued to kiss, but it had really just become hot, heavy panting into each other’s mouth. Renji’s eyes were open, trying to catch a glimpse of Byakuya’s expression. What he saw turned him on even harder: trembling lashes, flushed cheeks and so… so much passion. And… Renji just couldn’t get over what Byakuya was doing with his hand, so frantically, so… wantonly.

That was it. 

Not that he’d been really trying, but Renji couldn’t hold back any more. Pleasure rippled through him like a wave. Everything was hot and tight and Byakuya’s hand had surprising skill that teased and teased...and, oh! Struggling to hold back a shout, Renji dug fingers into wall and shoulder respectively and came in a powerful spurt. 

Finally ending the kiss, Renji clung to Byakuya in a sweaty, happy daze. He tried to catch his breath enough to ask what Byakuya needed for release when a concerned knock came at the door. Nanako’s voice was almost frantic with worry: “Captain! Captain are you alright?”

Any minute she was going to slide the door open… and then, beneath him, Renji felt it--the heat and wet. Byakuya gulped back a stuttering breath, but his eyes bulged with the effort. It would have been hilarious if Byakuya wasn’t in such obvious distress. Over his shoulder, Renji managed a croaking, “Ah, we’re fine, Nanako… just, uh, give us ten!”

For several long heartbeats there was only their own heavy breathing and Byakuya and Renji exchanging sheepish expressions.

“Oh,” she said finally. “Um. Right.” And, then as she moved away they could hear her adding, “Oh my god, couldn’t they wait… oh my god…” louder, though from more distance, “Sorry!”

Letting go of Byakuya’s shoulders, Renji let himself fall back onto the tatami and laughed. Byakuya glanced down the length of Renji’s sprawled naked body and pinched back a smile. “Some kiss.”

Renji laughed harder. “Yeah, you’re the best kisser ever.”


End file.
